7 Exercises That Will Get You Out Of Your Chair
updated January 1, 2019
Being sedentary or spending most of the day sitting down is a serious health risk. It can increase the chances of having a heart attack. This is because electrical activity in the muscles of the legs stop, metabolism decreases to around 1 calorie per minute, fat-reducing enzymes drop by around 90% and insulin effectiveness goes down by 24%.
It’s important to interrupt extended sitting times whenever possible. This can be done by talking a walk, using the stairs instead of the elevator, and taking short exercise breaks at your desk. Check them out in the following infographic!
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<p><strong>Please include attribution to GarageGymBuilder with this graphic.</strong><br /><br /><a href=”https://garagegymbuilder.com/desk-exercises” target=”_blank”><img src=”https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/garage-gym-builder/7-Exercises-You-Can-Do-Right-In-Your-Chair.png” alt=”7 Exercises You Can Do Right In Your Chair!” title=”7 Exercises You Can Do Right In Your Chair!” /></a></p>
- Chair Lifts – This simple exercise only requires you to sit straight on the chair with your legs crossed while holding your stomach in. Then lift yourself up through the arm rests. Do these five times.
- Lower Body Stretches – This is done by stretching your legs and lifting them up one at a time. Repeat the process 15 times for each leg.
- Shoulder Stretch – To do a shoulder stretch, sit as tall as you can and try to hold your hands together at your back by moving your left hand towards your shoulder blades and holding your right hand up then bending it down to meet your left hand at your back. You may not be able to hold our hands together but just keep on trying until you’re able to do so.
- Side Stretch – A side stretch is done by sitting up straight then raising your left arm towards the ceiling then grabbing your left wrist with your right hand and pulling it to the right (you will be bending your left arm towards your right side). Just reverse the process to stretch the right arm
- Hamstring Stretch – Push your chair away from the desk (while remaining seated) so you can put one of your legs up on the desk while keeping your back straight. You then have to flex your foot and lean forward while holding your position for 10 seconds. Do the same for the other leg. Another great exercise for hamstrings is deadlifts and squats. You can actually check out our power rack buying guide for finding the best power rack deals on the market.
- Hamstring Curl – For this exercise, you have to stand up and go behind your chair. You then bend your knee and kick your foot behind you. Repeat the process on your other leg. Do 10 repetitions for each leg.
- Arm Stretch – For this stretching exercise, return to your chair and sit up straight with your feet flat on the floor, then place your hands in front (holding the palms together) of you as if praying then push your hands forward without separating them. Hold the pushing position for 20 seconds and repeat the whole process as many times as you need to.
At GarageGymBuilder.com, we understand that compensating for a sedentary lifestyle does not mean having to enroll at a gym or taking time off of work! You can do exercises while you are in your desk. What’s important is that you avoid sitting for too long and that you maintain a healthy level of physical activity throughout the day.
Sources:
● Office Ergonomics-Common Office Injuries – http://wb.md/2jV4JSN
● Charts from the American Time Use Survey – http://bit.ly/2jV5vz2
● The Washington Post – http://wapo.st/2iJShbP
● The Facts About Sitting, Standing & Your Health | JustStand.org – http://bit.ly/2jV9ps2
● Sitting at Your Desk Is Eating Your Muscles | Breaking Muscle – http://bit.ly/2iT2MVc
● Stretching Exercises at Your Desk: 12 Simple Tips – http://wb.md/2jV5ZVY
